The Gospel of Mark

The Gospel of Mark recites the entire text of the biblical book accompanied by dramatic recreations of the scenes as described by the evangelist. Mark's is the shortest of the four gospels, beginning not with the birth of Jesus but his being recognized by John the Baptist, and its accounts of even the best-known scriptural episodes—such as the Passion and the Resurrection—are relatively brief. The solid narration here is offered on two separate tracks, with the New International version read by Rupert Penry Jones and the King James version delivered by Tim Piggott-Smith. The visual recreations, which are directed by David Batty and feature noted British actor Selva Rasalingam as Jesus, are small-scale but reasonably effective. In fact, the simplicity here offers a refreshing contrast to the overblown treatments of gospel narratives in Hollywood behemoths like King of Kings and The Greatest Story Ever Told. Obviously designed for Christian viewers who will appreciate its straightforward approach, this is recommended. (F. Swietek)